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Two men were killed Saturday in Northeast Washington when a pickup truck struck a bicyclist and then crashed into a fireworks display, D.C. police said.
The bicyclist died after being struck on a crosswalk near Minnesota and Nanny Helen Burroughs avenues, according to D.C. Police Assistant Chief Will Manlapaz.
The other man who died was working at the fireworks stand when the crash happened around 5:30 p.m., Manlapaz said.
The truck driver and a passenger were taken to hospital, he said.
According to Manlapaz’s account of the accident, the truck was traveling north on Minnesota Avenue when the driver lost control of the vehicle and struck the bicyclist. The truck continued, climbing the pavement and bumping into the fireworks stand.
It is not yet clear why the vehicle went out of control. However, some officials said the driver may have suffered a medical emergency.
Information on the condition of the driver or passenger was not immediately available.
A photo showed that the stand was seriously damaged in the incident. It showed a sagging canopy that had once been supported by poles that had now fallen or twisted.
Containers that are supposed to have held goods appear scattered.
However, there was no indication that fireworks had detonated, police said.
It was unclear how long the stand at the corner of Minnesota Avenue had been open. Saturday’s incident occurred two days before the Fourth of July, when fireworks are part of many people’s celebrations and at a time when temporary stands are springing up along many roads to meet seasonal demand.
Some fireworks are legal in the county, according to the D.C. Fire Department website. These include torches, bonfires, fountains and sparklers under 20 inches, the website said.
The scene is near the Deanwood neighborhood, southeast of Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens and about a mile south of the county-Prince George’s County border.
The names of those involved in the incident have not been released.
The PIO has proceeded to the scene of the major crash and will set up a media briefing area at Minnesota Ave & Hunt Place NE. Preliminary report of a vehicle in a fireworks stand with multiple pedestrians struck. Additional information is forthcoming
— DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept) July 2, 2022
This story is evolving and will be updated.
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